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This is hands down the best vanilla buttercream frosting recipe ever! From my own wedding to my baby shower to birthday parties, this has always been my go-to vanilla buttercream frosting recipe. It’s soft, creamy, and perfectly sweet, and you only need 4 ingredients and under 10 minutes to make it!
Easy Vanilla Frosting
In my early twenties, I had dreams of opening my own bakery. I worked at 4 different bakeries to gain experience to open my own one day. And can you guess what my favorite thing to make was? Frosting, of course! They don’t call me ‘best friends with frosting’ for nothing. I spent countless weekends experimenting with different recipes, even on a tight budget. This vanilla buttercream is the one I always came back to. It’s incredibly easy to make, and absolutely delicious.
You’ll Love This Simple Frosting Recipe!
It’s a frosting recipe that checks off ALL the boxes… Not only is it easy to make and delicious, but it pipes beautifully onto cupcakes and even icing cakes. When I piped this frosting on my wedding cupcakes, I stored them in the refrigerator for a couple of days, and then they were displayed on a cake stand at room temperature for 3 hours and held up great!
Vanilla Frosting Ingredients
For this recipe, all you will need is:
- Butter: Butter is literally the star of buttercream frosting! It gives it that creamy texture perfect for piping and spreading. For the best results, use high-quality butter. My favorite is Challenge Butter.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar (aka confectioners’ sugar) sweetens and thickens buttercream, giving it that light, spreadable texture we all love.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla has a natural sweetness that balances out the intense sweetness of the powdered sugar adding a depth of flavor.
- Milk: Milk helps create the perfect buttercream consistency – smooth, spreadable, and perfect for decorating.
It is such an easy recipe and it can be made in no time at all! And don’t forget your favorite cupcakes to pair with it, whether your cupcakes are store-bought or homemade, whatever works for you!
How to Make Vanilla Frosting
To make my favorite vanilla buttercream frosting, all you need to do is:
- In a mixer, cream together 2 sticks of softened butter and 3 cups of powdered sugar.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ cup of milk, mixing well.
- Gradually beat in the remaining 4 cups of powdered sugar until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Now it is ready to use for decorating!
How to Use Vanilla Frosting
This vanilla frosting is perfect to add to cupcakes, cookies, or any other fun desserts you’re making. The kids love adding fun sprinkles to their cupcakes, and the frosting really dresses them up! What dessert are you making that will be perfect with this vanilla buttercream? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!
How to Store Buttercream Frosting
You can either store your buttercream frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. If you freeze, just make sure you’re airtight container is freezer safe. Also, make sure to label your container with the date to keep track of freshness.
How long can buttercream sit out? Does buttercream need to be refrigerated?
While some say buttercream can hang out at room temperature for a couple of days, I’m a bit more cautious. Especially since this recipe includes milk, I always play it safe and store it in the fridge. Better safe than sorry!
How long does buttercream last in the fridge?
Buttercream typically lasts for about a week in the fridge when stored properly in an airtight container.
Can you freeze buttercream frosting?
Yes! Buttercream frosting can be stored in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to two months. Over the years, I’ve learned that freezing your frosting in smaller portions works best because it’s easier to defrost the exact amount you need. However, if you need a larger amount of frosting at once, you can freeze larger quantities. In fact, when I worked at an award-winning bakery years ago, they made large batches of frosting and stored them in the freezer all the time.
Homemade Frosting Troubleshooting and FAQs
In my twenties, when I was on a mission to make the perfect buttercream frosting recipe, I learned the hard way that it’s easy to accidentally add too much liquid. Even a tablespoon of milk can make it too runny. The best way to thicken buttercream frosting is to gradually add more powdered sugar, 1-3 tablespoons at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. A little powdered sugar goes a long way. You can also try chilling the frosting in the refrigerator for a short period to firm it up slightly.
That’s usually because the powdered sugar hasn’t dissolved into the butter properly. One easy fix is to re-whip the frosting, preferably with the paddle attachment, on medium speed until it becomes smoother. You can also add 1-2 teaspoons of room-temperature milk and beat on low speed for a couple of minutes. This will help the sugar dissolve and give you that silky smooth texture.
Buttercream curdles when the butter literally has a mind of its own… it gets too cold and separates from the other ingredients, creating an undesirable lumpy texture. The first time this happened to me, I literally thought I had used expired milk or butter. Luckily, it’s a pretty easy fix. You can either use a double boiler or set a bowl over a pot of steaming water to gently warm the buttercream. Once it’s slightly warmed, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it becomes smooth and creamy again.
Looking for more easy frosting recipes? Don’t miss my favorite Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting recipe!
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Homemade Vanilla Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 7 cups powdered sugar, divided
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Mix two sticks of softened butter with three cups of powdered sugar in a mixer.
- Add in 1 tsp vanilla extract and ½ cup of milk and mix.
- Gradually add four more cups of powdered sugar as you continue mixing until your frosting is smooth.
